Car Maintenance

According to RL Polk the average age of vehicles on the road is eleven years and is trending upward. This means that customers must decide more often where to repair their vehicle; at the dealership or at an independent.

Here are three important factors to consider when making your choice of where to service your vehicle.

Consider convenience. Is the dealership or repair shop close to you? Also what hours are they open, do they have shuttle service, loaner cars and other amenities while you wait?

Are the technicians trained to fix your car? Manufacturers require dealers to be certified with them and independent service organizations like ASE. Before you go to an independent make sure they have the ASE blue seal of excellence, check the Better Business Bureau and read online reviews.

Shop for the best price. The perception that the dealer is more expensive is not always true. In fact many times they will meet or beat any independents price if they haven’t already.